NBC F1 and IndyCar ratings

NBC’s live broadcast of the Canadian Grand Prix on June 8 (2:00-3:48 p.m. ET) delivered 1.462 million viewers, ranking as the most-watched F1 race in seven years (2007 Canadian Grand Prix, FOX, 1.494 million), and the most-watched F1 race on NBC and NBCSN since NBC Sports Group acquired F1 broadcasting rights prior to the 2013 season.

NBCSN’s live presentation of the Austrian Grand Prix on June 22 (7:30-9:42 a.m. ET) averaged 413,000 viewers, making it the third-most watched F1 race to date on NBCSN, up 58% against NBCSN’s 2013 F1 average race viewership in the 7:30 a.m. ET window.

Rank Date Race Start Time (ET) Infomercial-like Viewership
1. April 6, 2014 Bahrain Grand Prix 10:30 a.m. 594,000
2. May 11, 2014 Spanish Grand Prix 7:30 a.m. 455,000
3. June 22, 2014 Austrian Grand Prix 7:30 a.m. 413,000
4. November 3, 2013 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 7:30 a.m. 354,000
5. April 19, 2014 Chinese Grand Prix 2:30 a.m. 301,000

Over the first six races of the 2014 season on NBCSN, Formula 1 has drawn 377,000 average viewers, up 111% from the first six races of the 2013 F1 season (179,000 viewers). Four of NBCSN’s five most-watched F1 telecasts have come this season:

NBC and NBCSN’s eight Formula 1 telecasts in 2014 have combined to deliver 588,000 viewers, up 43% from the 2013 season through eight races.

NBCSN’s presentation of the IndyCar Firestone 600 at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday, June 7 (8:44-10:59 p.m. ET), averaged 424,000 viewers, making it the most-watched IndyCar race on NBCSN since the 2012 Grand Prix of Long Beach (468,000 viewers). Through three races, NBCSN’s IndyCar coverage has drawn 398,000 average viewers, up 16% from the 2013 season through three races (343,000). All numbers are pathetically small.

With this weekend being an off week for F1, NBC's Leigh Diffey will be on-site in Houston to call the IndyCar double-header races on NBCSN, alongside former IndyCar driver Paul Tracy and the network's F1 analyst Steve Matchett. Reporters Jon Beekhuis, Kelli Stavast, Kevin Lee and Robin Miller will report from the pits.